** Travel. Destiny. Beer. ** The world's greatest traveler never thought he'd be staying put. Jay had planned to move on after marking Agamuskara, India, off his list of places to see. Then two strange men steal his passport, and the long-roaming loner stays in Agamuskara to find it. After years of globetrotting with no companion but his trusty big backpack, Jay befriends the stout-quaffing, ever-grinning Faddah Rucksack, the world's only Himalayan-Irish sage. Now Jay finds himself being steered toward an unknown fate by a man who lost his own destiny long ago. No Jake or Jade is better than Jade Agamuskara Bluegold at slinging drinks, destinies, and decisions. Yet after spending ten years helping The Management keep the world turning, the solitary, mysterious bartender at the pub at Everest Base Camp has begun to doubt the life she chose over another path. When Jade's uneasy friendship with Rucksack leads her to help him unravel the mystery at the heart of the city, Jade finds her loyalties changing in ways she never could have imagined. When the bartender and the backpacker meet, forces are set in motion that won't just change the world forever-they might end it. Then Jay accidentally awakens an ancient evil, and only Jay, Rucksack, and Jade stand between it and its terrible purpose: destroying all life in a smiling fire. ** Part of the Rucksack Universe Series ** The Rucksack Universe is the exciting world of wit, adventure, and beer that fans call "buoyant with a unique humor, twist and focus on international travel," and "perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman." ** Guru Deep Says: ** "Agamuskara shares its name with the river that runs through India's holiest city, which is also its unholiest. While no records survive to tell us when Agamuskara was founded, local lore maintains the area was settled by the first people to come to the Indian subcontinent. History also does not explain why the city and the river should be named what, in the Hindi, translates as 'smiling fire.' This mystery, the delights of daily life and Indian culture, and the unrivaled drinks at the Everest Base Camp Pub and Hostel continue to attract travelers from all over the world." - Guru Deep, India Through the Third Eye
Industry Reviews
"Over the years I've built a certain level of expectation for small press and self-published books: A good chunk of them are just flat-out bad; most of them are entertaining stories, if you can just overlook a couple of flaws; and a very very few of them are highly enjoyable reads that surprise the crap out of me. Forever the Road left me completely gobsmacked. Great concept, fun characters, and beautiful writing. It's a high-stakes story, told with wit and compassion.... In the end, Forever the Road's Everest Base Camp is a pub that ranks right up there with Callahan's and the White Hart as classic science fiction bars."--Nth Degree (full review on p. 6 of Nth Degree Oct.-Dec. 2014, issue #25 http://www.nthzine.com/NthZine/current.pdf)
"I was immediately hooked into this story, and remained so until the very end - and even after the end. St. Clair has a way with language that brings the reader into the story and holds them there with every sight, smell, sound, and feeling. For example, on page 225, St. Clair writes, 'The scent of chickpea dough, fried in nut oil, had pulled Jay by the nostrils to the man's cart.' This is just one of many simple, yet powerful sentences used throughout the story. Even better, this wonderfully artistic use of language is not splattered here and there, with some great sentences appearing in the midst of ordinary ones, rather they are woven seamlessly into the language of the story (without the common appearance of one trying too hard). This shows a mastery St. Clair has that many have attempted to possess but do not.... This book is officially one of my favorites, and St. Clair is now one of my favorite authors. This book left me wanting more in the best possible way (wanting more to read and wanting a sequel) and I truly cannot wait to read more of St. Clair's books."--Online Book Club, Official Review (full review http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=24138)
